Recently released school division annual reports show that, even before the Sask. Party’s most recent heartless budget, Sask. Party cuts to education had already resulted in more than $23 million being cut from the funding that went directly into teaching children in Saskatchewan classrooms last year.

“Despite the Sask. Party’s claims, their cuts are hitting our kids’ classrooms. It’s right there in black and white; the money available for instruction – teaching our kids – has been cut,” said Education Critic Carla Beck. “On top of the $23 million in instruction that was cut last year, the Sask. Party used their heartless budget to cut another $55 million from education this year. The Sask. Party mismanaged the finances but it’s our kids who are paying the price.”

After weeks of refusing to provide any concrete evidence to support their ban of Alberta license plates at Saskatchewan work sites, and just hours before leaving the Saskatchewan people on the hook for a potential $5 million fine, the Sask. Party have made it clear they had no credible justification or defense for their actions and have backed-down on their ban.

“From the beginning, it’s been clear that the Sask. Party had no justification for this attack. Now, even after backing down, they’re still playing games. We should be able to expect better from our government,” said NDP Deputy House Leader Carla Beck. “With unemployment rates hitting 20 year highs and small businesses struggling with PST hikes the Sask. Party needs to stop the posturing and chest thumping and just finally admit they were wrong.”

The Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the Sask. Party to bring an end to their puzzling and potentially costly license plate ban before Saskatchewan people are forced to pay the $5 million fine that the Sask. Party government could be charged

“Saskatchewan’s economy is stronger and Saskatchewan jobs are created because of the way we work with other Western provinces,” said NDP Deputy Leader Buckley Belanger. “With no proof to back up their actions, the Sask. Party is putting all of that at risk, and possibly putting the Saskatchewan people on the hook for a $5 million fine – that’s more than the entire cut they tried to make to Saskatchewan libraries.”

After the devastating Sask. Party cuts to education announced in the last provincial budget, everyone who works in education across Saskatchewan has been doing all they can to try to minimize how much it hurts our kids’ classrooms. Chinook School Division was the hardest hit last year. Now, the school division is telling teachers yet again that Sask. Party cuts mean they have to take even more resources out of the classroom. Teachers are now being asked to help find a cut equivalent to 55 teachers.

“This year, there are already about 4,500 more kids on Saskatchewan classrooms and 188 fewer teachers and support workers in our kids’ schools. More cuts, will mean class sizes will go up and Saskatchewan kids won’t get the education they deserve and we need them to get,” said Saskatchewan NDP Youth Critic Vicki Mowat. “The Education Minister claims that throwing 188 teachers out of our kids’ classrooms hasn’t hurt in the classroom but that is just plain untrue and, frankly, ridiculous.”

As part of their push to sell-off and privatize all they can, the Sask. Party handed control of designing, building, financing, and maintaining the much-needed new hospital in North Battleford to a foreign conglomerate. Today, the high costs and deep consequences of this decision were once again made clear with the announcement that one of the key companies in the conglomerate is going into liquidation.

“The Sask. Party’s focus should have been on putting Saskatchewan people first, supporting Saskatchewan businesses, ensuring more Saskatchewan jobs, and delivering this much-needed hospital for the best price,” said NDP Health Critic Danielle Chartier. “Instead, the Sask. Party’s priority seems to be defending their P3s and covering up for their mismanagement, scandal and waste.”